Indian sailor among 5 killed, another injured as Somali forces retake hijacked tanker

DUBAI: An Indian sailor was among five crew members killed by pirates aboard a hijacked fuel tanker in Somalia, authorities said, as security forces of the African nation retook control of the vessel.

The Puntland Maritime Police Force (PMPF) said three Pakistanis, one Indian and one Myanmar national were killed early on Tuesday, before its forces launched an operation to secure the Palau-flagged tanker MT Honour 25, news portal Somalia Today reported.

Three Pakistani crew members and one Indian national were also wounded, it said.

Puntland is a semi-autonomous state of Somalia.

PMPF blamed the deaths on the Somali pirates holding the vessel off the coast of Puntland but did not provide details on how or when the crew members were killed.

According to the European Union's naval force EUNAVFOR, the vessel was hijacked in April while travelling towards Somalian capital, Mogadishu. It was carrying about 17 crew members, most of them Pakistani nationals, and a cargo of oil products.

As per BBC Somali, the crew comprised 10 Pakistanis, four Indonesians, one Indian, one Sri Lankan and a Myanmar national.

PMPF in a social media post on Tuesday said it "carried out a maritime operation off the coast of Dharin-baar, Bandar Beyla District, successfully rescuing the MT Honour 25 oil tanker, which had been hijacked by pirates".

The vessel is now safe and under Puntland government control, it said, adding that during the operation, 16 suspected pirates were apprehended, while operations to locate the remaining members continue.

Citing authorities, The Daily Somali news outlet said the pirates initially offered to surrender while concealing the crew's deaths.

The commercial vessel, carrying 18,500 barrels of fuel bound for Mogadishu, was hijacked by pirates on April 21, it said.

In another development, Somali pirates on Tuesday released a Togo-flagged tanker after holding it off Puntland’s Karkaar region, the report said.

Nearly 30 armed pirates disembarked, handing over all 12 crew members, comprising eight Egyptians and four Indians, unharmed to local community, it said, adding that the pirates damaged the vessel, MT Eureka, and set parts of it ablaze before fleeing.

"Hijacked on May 2 off Yemen’s Port of Qana while carrying 20,400 barrels of fuel, the tanker had substantial amounts of its cargo siphoned and sold off at sea during its months in captivity. The crew members are now in the care of local residents in the Hul-Aanood area," the report said.